State lottery officials gave Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center the thumbs-up to run casino-style table games today.

The facility in Nitro is expected to open its poker tables to the public for the first time at 7 p.m. Thursday. Racetrack staff held two charity poker games Monday and Tuesday night to give dealers two last practice runs and to make sure surveillance systems and money-handling practices met with Lottery Commission approval.

"The i's have been dotted and t's crossed," said Nancy Bulla, spokeswoman for the state lottery commission. "Director [John] Musgrave has been assured that every security regulation under the statute has been met and has given the go-ahead for the poker games to begin tomorrow."

County voters approved the expansion of table gaming at Tri-State last August. Track officials plan to open poker tables to the public this week and add blackjack, roulette and other table games within a few weeks.

State lottery officials gave Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center the thumbs-up to run casino-style table games today.

The facility in Nitro is expected to open its poker tables to the public for the first time at 7 p.m. Thursday. Racetrack staff held two charity poker games Monday and Tuesday night to give dealers two last practice runs and to make sure surveillance systems and money-handling practices met with Lottery Commission approval.

"The i's have been dotted and t's crossed," said Nancy Bulla, spokeswoman for the state lottery commission. "Director [John] Musgrave has been assured that every security regulation under the statute has been met and has given the go-ahead for the poker games to begin tomorrow."

County voters approved the expansion of table gaming at Tri-State last August. Track officials plan to open poker tables to the public this week and add blackjack, roulette and other table games within a few weeks.